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Colby Covington has yet to come to terms for an expected showdown with Kamaru Usman, and the former interim champ claims unfair negotiating tactics by the UFC is why.

Recently it was reported that the UFC was trying to add Usman – Covington to its November 2nd card in New York City. But, since then, a fight between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal was announced as the main event.

Covington was a guest on Ariel Helwani’s latest “MMA Show”, and the controversial welterweight said the following, while discussing negotiations for the Usman fight (quote via MMA Junkie):

“My side of the story is, I’m ready to fight, I was ready to fight, but the UFC came to be with the basic challenger’s offer,” Covington said. “I’m a champion. There was no negotiation. They came and ran at me and said, ‘Here, take this, or leave it and we’ll pass it on to the next person. That’s not fair negotiating and that’s not right. So I’m not going to take the first offer that you offer me.”

“We need to meet in the middle,” Covington said. “There’s more that needs to be done. But also, I’m the A-side and you can’t even get the B-side done with Usman. Why are we even rushing this if you can’t get the B-side done?

The 31-year-old Covington (15-1) is coming off a one-sided, decision win over Robbie Lawler in August.